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The World Is Dancing has revealed its first look at adult Oniyasha ahead of Episode 11, confirming that Blue Lock and Jujutsu Kaisen voice actor Nobunaga Shimazaki will take over the role as the character enters a new stage of his life. The anime also picked up a nomination in the TV & Commissioned Film category at this year’s Bucheon International Animation Festival.
The announcement follows the events of Episode 10, with Episode 11, titled “The Moon Before the It’s Full,” marking a time skip that sees Oniyasha mature into a young adult. Shimazaki replaces Yumiri Hanamori, who voiced the younger version of the character.
In a comment released alongside the announcement, Shimazaki said it is unusual for him to take over a character after someone else has voiced their childhood.
“While it is quite common for someone else to voice the childhood years of a character I voice, it’s rare for me to be the one taking over to voice a character’s matured self, so it’s a very humbling experience,” he said.
“I intend to give it my absolute all to carry forward this precious character of Oniyasha, whom everyone, starting with Hanamori-san, has worked so hard to build up and pass on.”
The preview for Episode 11 also reveals how much time has passed. Inuo, leader of the Hiyoshi Troupe, receives a message summoning him to Sanjobomon. After years of refining his dance in solitude, he decides to perform publicly with Yoshimitsu’s support. Meanwhile, Oniyasha has grown taller, his voice has changed, and he continues working while performing for audiences.
A preview for the episode is now available on YouTube.
Alongside the cast update, The World Is Dancing has also been nominated in the TV & Commissioned Film category at the 2026 Bucheon International Animation Festival in South Korea. Episodes 1 and 2 are scheduled to screen during the festival, which runs from October 23 to October 27.
Based on Kazuto Mihara’s manga, The World Is Dancing is set in 1374 during Japan’s Northern and Southern Courts period. The story follows Oniyasha, the boy who would later become Zeami, the founder of Noh theatre, as he searches for the meaning of dance while growing into one of Japan’s most influential performers.
The anime is directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi (The Great Passage, Backflip!!) and produced by Cypic, the studio behind Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray and The Summer Hikaru Died. It is currently streaming on Muse Asia, Muse India and Anime Times on Amazon Prime Video.
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